Why did you join the military?

My father died serving our country. Like my father, I wanted to serve our country, and I also wanted to aid South Vietnam.

Iran took hostages at our embassy. I joined DEP 1979.

Draft Number 2.

At first, I think it was about living up to my dad, uncle and grandfather (82nd NCO, Marine, AAF Pilot). Later on, I think it came down to proving a little guy with coke-bottle glasses from the hills could do it. If I had it to do all over again, it would be for more pragmatic reasons, but frankly...I'm glad I don't have that choice.

SPC Ayers,
I joined to get away from all the madness/drugs I was getting into back home in Puerto Rico. It got so bad that people were looking for me. I was still living with my mother and the rest of my brothers and sister. I didn't want to bring all that to my house so, I joined right before the Christmas holidays back in 1992. Now, 20 years in the service was not the plan, hahahaha. All I wanted to do was 4-5 years maybe. Didn't know I was going to like it, then life took certain turns, and ended up staying in.

I joined because I knew I wasn't mature enough for college after high school and didn't want to waste time and money. Plus there was a part of me that wanted to "do my time" so to speak. My dad did 4 years in the Navy, my grandfather was in the Army and my great grandfather was in the Marines, and my dad said don't join the Army or the Marines. If you join then join the Navy for the Air Force and since I'm not a big fan of swimming because I have to (learned that from boy scouts) then I picked the Air Force. Plus the Air Force only had a 6 week basic training at the time.

I didn't make many mature decisions as an 18 year old in 1979. My Dad and Mom busted their butts for 5 kids and if I went to college, I would have been chasing skirts and not focused on studies so I enlisted. Didn't know whether I would last 35 days, months or years, turned out the latter. E-4, back to E-2 to E-7 (Chief Petty Officer), got my commission and retired as a Commander (O-5).

I joined the Navy in 1943 to serve our country.

At 19 I didn't know what I wanted to do. My father was always complaining that he did not go Regular Army, he was Army National Guard. So I thought I'd try it. Liked being a soldier I served 20 years.

Lousy grades, no money, dead end crappy job. Navy recruiter called me, i got the job i wanted, guaranteed paycheck 1st and 15th...no brainer. Visited exotic places, played with exotic toys, had a blast for 22 yrs.